Indian Captive--Lois Lenski

Indian Captive written by Lois Lenski was a Newberry Honor book. I read this story to the kids. It is the story of Mary Jemison who really was captured by the Seneca Indians in 1758 while the rest of her family, one being a baby, was murdered except the 2 oldest boys who ran away.. She has been referred to as the "White Woman of Genesee."

 I must say this book was a disappointment. I realize that both the white men and the indians did wrongs against each other but this book chose to favor the indians in a BIG way and offer explanations for just about all their imperfections while making every white man in the book to be an idiot, coward, or full of himself. On the bright side the girl was ready to forgive and forget but unfortunately it wasn't so much a forgiveness of wrong doing of what was done to her family but a decision to embrace the pagan culture. The book was a good illustration of what happens when children grow up in a "religious" household but never have a personal relationship with their Saviour.